Ginger To The Vet’s For The 3rd Time (needs Daily Nebulizing)

Ginger was getting better, but took a turn for the worse yesterday when he started snorting. Although his appetite is intact, I did not want to take any chances. So I got an appointment at the vet’s for 11am today.

At 10.20am, I “geared” up and Ginger and I made our trip to the vet’s in PJ.  I disinfected his carrier first, and brought along a spare towel for his carrier (he always pees in the carrier in car trips) and a plastic bag in a cloth bag that will be washed once we return.  Brought along my mask and hand sanitizer too.

I placed a big towel on my car seat and placed Ginger’s carrier on it. Later, upon our return, the towel will be washed.

At the exit of Subang Jaya, there was a roadblock. Every single car was stopped and the driver was questioned by the police. This took quite long. When our turn came, I told the kind policeman that Ginger was sick and needed to see the vet in PJ. He saw Ginger in the carrier and said, “Cat sick? Sure, can.” and let us pass. I was so thankful. The rest of the drivers were still being questioned. I was the last car and the first to be let off.

We lost some time at the roadblock, so I had to speed up a little to make the appointment at the vet’s. Luckily there was hardly any traffic.

Ginger was stressed in the car, as usual. He was also breathing heavily. We reached on time and sat in the car to wait our turn (most vets practise this protocol). There was unfortunately two cases that took awhile so it was a rather long wait. Ginger was alternating between hyperventilating in the car and what appeared to be gasping for breath for a few minutes. I guessed he was just stressed but to play it safe, I informed the clinic, so we were allowed inside. I asked if he could be put on the nebulizer first.

One of the vets attended to Ginger first, and Ginger was calm and curious. The “hyperventilating and gasping” was most likely due to stress. That stopped once he was in the clinic.

Finally, Ginger’s vet came to examine him. Ginger’s lungs are slightly infected. Prior to this, his lungs were clear. He has been on treatment since 25th February now, been on two courses of antibiotics and other medication. Each time he was on medication, he would get well (but not totally recover), then he would relapse again. This, of course, is mostly likely due to the fact that he is FIV+.

The vet explained that it started as a viral infection (the cat flu) but now, there is bacterial infection as well. That is why he has a cough now. The infection started in the upper respiratory section but is moving down now.

Each time we went for a consultation, the vet did ask if there has been any change of smells in the house, particularly the use of aerosols or any new scents. But there has been none at all. Today, the vet mentioned “cooking smells” so I will take heed of this as we have been cooking at home more often during this MCO-period.

The vet prescribed a new antibiotic, Baytril, for 10 days (previously, it was Doxycycline), the same antihistamine (Cetirizine) for 10 days, the mucolytic (Bromhexine) for 16 days and the broncodilator for 16 days.

Ginger would also need to be put on the nebulizer every day, so I need to purchase the machine. The vet showed me how the nebulizing is done. The liquid is half a tube of Ventolin and 3ml of saline.

After that was done, I had to go to a pharmacy to purchase the nebulizer. I called my regular pharmacy in Subang Jaya and they did not have anymore stock. The order was made two weeks ago, but the stock still had not arrived. So the vet told me that there were three pharmacies “nearby” and I could go and enquire there. I called up one of the pharmacies and yes, they had the nebulizer as well as the Ventolin.

But how to get there? I am directionally dyslexic! But it has to be done. The vet advised that it would be better to leave Ginger at the clinic while I went to make the purchase. So, I used Google Maps and after much difficulty figuring which was left and which was right, I got there. Bought the machine and the Ventolin and again, relied on Waze to get back to the clinic to pick up Ginger.

Phew!

We were finally on our way home. By then I was so frazzled by the left-right-left-right, I didn’t quite know how to get home!  You’d have to be directionally dyslexic before you understand what that’s like. It’s like that part of your brain is just….”retarded”.

But we made our way home. No police roadblocks. I wasn’t afraid of police roadblocks because I wasn’t flouting the MCO. There was a valid reason to travel – Ginger was sick. So far, from everything I’ve heard, the police has been VERY compassionate and reasonable, even with people who had to go out on animals matters. I experienced this myself today, so I want to say a huge thank you to our police force for their kindness and compassion.

Thank you, sirs and madams!

When we reached home, I took our 24/7 disinfectant (perfectly safe and non-toxic) to disinfect Ginger’s carrier first, in the porch. Then, I put Ginger inside the house. I had already disinfected my hands every time I got into the car, from the clinic and pharmacy.

After that, I massively and totally disinfected myself and everything else with Germisep in the porch, including the plastic packaging of the nebulizer, the small plastic bags of medication and the plastic bags. I disinfected myself from head to toe, including my shoes too. It pays to be safe. The bag I used was a cloth bag, so I disinfected that as well. It was only after that that I stepped into the house, all cloth materials were washed immediately and I took a head-to-toe bath. All clothes also washed immediately.

Here’s Ginger with his nebulizer. In my haste to get home and get out of the pharmacy, I didn’t test it. I hope it works.

I found out later that another pharmacy in Subang Jaya had the nebulizer…for half the price.  Oh well, never mind.

As before, after the nebulizing, Ginger was snorting for a few hours. Now, he seems to be more comfortable.

Please get well soon, Ginger!

This is the funny version of the same story: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157367962967799&set=a.10151416743937799&type=3&theater

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2020/03/31/ginger-to-the-vets-for-t..

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AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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